The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-10
THE GRANTS AT LONG BRANCH.

Their Cottage Noted for Its Hospitality
Mrs. Fred Grants Accomplishments.
Long Branch Letter
Mrs Gen. Grant has at all times house full
of company Just Mrs. Judge Dent, Mrs
Corbin and Mrs Cramer, sisters and sister-in-
law respectively. at the cottage Friends
come tine lawn from Mr. Childss cottage in
skies and sevens, and almost every evening
low tea is served Covers laced for ten or
q dozen. The menu is made up OF salads berries,
cream biscuits, ices and glaees, and the table dec
orations consist of fiat basket of wild flowers,
with crushed ice sprinkled over them Mira.
Col. Grant arranges the table and delights in
having q circular mass of lemon verbena or rnign-
onette ornamented with black. white. yellow and
green butterflies loaned by the little Pullman boys
who. like the pensive Selkirk, are monarchs OF
all they survey. Mrs. Colonel Grant began this
summer to tighten her mourning, and wears
dainty guimps of MULE and lace with black
dresses, straw-colored bonnets and lawn hats
trimmed with pretty colored plumes Her fin
gers jeweled like princess g, with cluster
rings of marvellous beauty-all diamonds, how
overland whether in a little neglige of muslin
tea gown of silk and precious loom she Is as
beautiful in face and as lovely in man
poets ideal. Unlike the
average villa, one is never repulsed
from the Grant cottage, and the tired vender of
writing paper, the poor little with
furniture polish, and the ubiquitous slght-seer is
as politely received as the hidden guest. There
is more beautiful apartment in all the village
than the sitting groom at the end of the hall lie
overlooks seven hundred feet of lawn, and at the
door leading to the piazza stretches boundless-
of reverence and awe.
The floor is spread with a rich Persia rug
there are low sofas seemingly filled with silk
pillows, every chair knows its own comfort. and
wherever the eye turns there is some print, mar
Bile, medallion, vase or bit OF decorative art to
charm the eye or fascinate the senses On
antique cabinet, filled with foi;Ds and sketches,
with every jutting shelf ledge holding bit OF
modelled beauty, is bust in . aster of the brave
old soldier. About 1t is folded the fragments of
a battle flag, leaving only the face and head Wis
IDLE above the stars and stripes. Behind it
bangs a wreath of white immorteles-a widows
first tribute to memory-with circlet of white
ribbon still clinging 20 it. typical of
welded love- slender glass filled with
geraniums bright the stripes in the
sken banner rests end of the drapery.
and the fragrance of this simple offering is
sweeter than the richest incense that
f1oated through cathedral abbey Every
morning this tiny boquet is gathered from the
window boxes by the lonely wife, who kisses the
blossoms and tenderly places them before the
face of her hero. The faded flowers are dried
and, mixed with their own fragrance, go to make
those memory-baes SO highly priced by the
friends whom they are bestowed.
Very often Col Fred Grant walks along the
yellow sand at the foot of the cliff his hands
crossed the back and his head bent in deep
thought. Though still young man, he looks
careworn and concerned. Much of the time he
is lost in meditation and as one studies the full
round, quiet face for traces of the dead soldier
the thought comes involuntarily that the eyes
of the dreamer must see through many scenes
some of them tragic enough. before youth, with
its sunny freedom, is reached.